Hydrogen generator

Abstract

Hydrogen generation materials are a complex hydride which generates hydrogen upon hydrolysis, and an aqueous solution comprising water for causing the hydrolysis, and an accelerator dissolved therein for accelerating a hydrogen generation reaction. A method of hydrogen generation by a hydrogen generator comprises a first step S 1 of detecting that the internal pressure of a reactor is lower than a reference pressure, and supplying the aqueous accelerator solution to the reactor; a second step S 2 of dissolving the complex hydride in the aqueous accelerator solution to cause a hydrogen generation reaction; and a third step S 3 of detecting that the internal pressure of the reactor is higher than the reference pressure, and stopping the supply of the aqueous accelerator solution, and repeats the flow from the first step S 1 to the third step S 3.

1. A fuel cell apparatus, comprising:
 a fuel cell having a negative electrode chamber, a positive electrode chamber and an electrolyte disposed between the negative and positive electrode chambers; and 
 a hydrogen generator having a reaction chamber that contains a complex hydride capable of reacting with an aqueous reagent solution to generate hydrogen, and a storage chamber that contains an aqueous reagent solution that is supplied to the reaction chamber to react with the complex hydride to generate hydrogen; 
 wherein the reaction chamber is connected by a hydrogen supply pipe to the negative electrode chamber to supply hydrogen from the reaction chamber to the negative electrode chamber, and 
 wherein a set hydrogen pressure of the fuel cell is not lower than the internal pressure of the positive electrode chamber, but is not higher than a pressure which is higher than the internal pressure of the positive electrode chamber by 0.3 MPa. 
 
     
     
       2. A fuel cell apparatus according to  claim 1 ; wherein the hydrogen generator includes a control device that controls the supplying of the aqueous reagent solution from the storage chamber to the reaction chamber based on a reference pressure such that the aqueous reagent solution is repeatedly supplied to the reaction chamber when the reference pressure is greater than the internal pressure within the reaction chamber and not supplied to the reaction chamber when the reference pressure is less than the internal pressure within the reaction chamber. 
     
     
       3. A hydrogen generator according to  claim 2 ; wherein the reference pressure is atmospheric pressure. 
     
     
       4. A hydrogen generator according to  claim 2 ; wherein the control device comprises a check valve that is disposed in the supply pipe and that opens and closes in response to a differential pressure between the storage chamber and the reaction chamber, the check valve opening when the internal pressure within the reaction chamber becomes lower than the reference pressure to permit flow of the aqueous reagent solution to the reaction chamber and closing when the internal pressure within the reaction chamber becomes higher than the reference pressure to prevent flow of the aqueous reagent solution to the reaction chamber. 
     
     
       5. A hydrogen generator according to  claim 4 ; further including means for continually maintaining the aqueous reagent solution in the storage chamber under pressure. 
     
     
       6. A hydrogen generator according to  claim 2 ; wherein the control device comprises a pressure regulating valve that is disposed in the supply pipe and that opens and closes in response to a differential pressure between the storage chamber and the reaction chamber, the pressure regulating valve opening when the internal pressure within the reaction chamber becomes lower than the reference pressure to permit flow of the aqueous reagent solution to the reaction chamber and closing when the internal pressure within the reaction chamber becomes higher than the reference pressure to prevent flow of the aqueous reagent solution to the reaction chamber. 
     
     
       7. A hydrogen generator according to  claim 6 ; further including means for continually maintaining the aqueous reagent solution in the storage chamber under pressure.